McDonald's had to remove its new fitness trackers from Happy Meals after reports of skin irritation. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

(Newser)
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An attempt by McDonald's to make Happy Meals part of an active and healthy lifestyle was certainly short lived. USA Today reports the fast-food restaurant pulled the "Step It!" fitness trackers from its Happy Meals on Wednesday. The fitness trackers, which count steps and display pace, were meant to be available for four weeks at McDonald's locations across the US and Canada. Then came reports of skin problems. On Facebook, a mother claims her child was burned after playing with the fitness tracker for less than 10 minutes. And there were other reports of the fitness tracker irritating people's skin, though it's unclear how many, according to CNN.

McDonald's says it took a "swift and voluntary step" in removing the fitness trackers from its Happy Meals. "Nothing is more important to us than the safety of our customers," the company said in a statement. While McDonald's has said the fitness trackers were supposed to encourage kids to be more active, Gizmodo reports they probably weren't going to be a boon to anyone's health. A cheeseburger Happy Meal has 840 calories. A kid would have to exercise for four hours—or take 24,000 steps—to burn that off. Gizmodo argues parents who are really concerned about their children's health should probably just skip the Happy Meal in the first place.